Q: After signing a Welsh Rugby Union central contract, are you definitely going to play for the Blues next season?

A: Yes. I have been with the Blues for the last two weeks of pre-season and they have been flogging me. As far as I am concerned I will be playing for the Blues next season.

Q: How is the shoulder?

A: It is good. I am 13 weeks on Thursday from my operation and my return date is 16 weeks. I am at the early stage of contact training with the physiotherapists so it’s about building up over the next three weeks.

Conditioning wise, I have been running with the lads and been doing all the rugby and fitness sessions so I will be back on time.

There is no rush because the first pre-season game does not start until mid August so there will be no issues about getting back for then.

I feel as if I am in the best shape I have been since the World Cup of 2011.

I do feel as if I am like a dog ready to be let off the leash and I can’t wait to take some contact.

Q: Were you encouraged about the performance against South Africa last Saturday?

A: Yes. It gives us massive hope going into the autumn series.

I was gutted watching the game and I could not believe what I was seeing.

But it will no doubt give us belief in the autumn series we can get the win.

Even though the players lost I think mentally it will be good because they will walk off that pitch knowing they had the makings of beating South Africa away from home for the first time ever.

It was an excellent performance and if they can replicate that in November, it will give us a good chance of winning.

Q: How did Wales cope without you and Justin Tipuric at the breakdown?

A: I thought Josh Turnbull did really well in the second Test. When I watch the game I don’t tend to watch the opposition and when I am watching Wales I look at the back-rowers and I can’t help that.

I thought Josh was very good especially in the contact area and his timing at the breakdown. He came into the side and he has an amazing engine and his workrate for 80 minutes was excellent.

It is hard to come in and play against South Africa when you have not played a lot of international rugby because the matches are of high intensity but he coped superbly.

I remember playing with Josh when he was with Wales Under-19s at the same Junior World Cup and when I heard he was joining the Blues I was very excited.

We have already spoken about that and I am looking forward to playing with him next season.

Q: Did you enjoy the Sky Sports punditry while watching the games?

A: Scott Quinnell said I can’t go into it full-time because I would take his job and he has to put bread on the table for his family!

I did it for a bit of fun and because it was good to watch the games. I enjoyed it.

Q: Alun Wyn Jones led the side in South Africa? Do you expect to retain the Welsh captaincy?

A: This happens every campaign and I never expect the captaincy to be set in stone.

When there is a squad announcement the players all find out via text and that’s when you expect to find out about the captaincy.

I never preempt things or would walk around the streets saying I was Welsh captain. You have to wait until the next series. That’s open now.

I just return to the Blues and train really hard and just enjoy being part of pre-season.

Alun Wyn Jones led Wales in south Africa

Q: Following summer games involving Wales, Australia and England where does this leave Warren Gatland’s side ahead of the World Cup?

A: The journey starts now. When people are asked about the Lions tour 12 months in advance players say they aren’t thinking about it but they are. The same applies for the World Cup.

To get into the World Cup squad is a massive motivation of mine as it will be for all the other players in the squad.

It is difficult to talk about what is going to happen in the World Cup. Because I remember in 2011 we finished fourth in the Six Nations and we ended getting to the semi-finals of the World Cup.

You can’t read too much into things and the more time Wales have together to prepare, they get better as a team.

When you get into the calendar year of 2015 in January that is when you really start looking at it.

Q: Do you have to make a breakthrough against Australia, South Africa or New Zealand this autumn?

A: I can’t say when we are going to get over the line. But I don’t think it will affect the mindset of the players going into the World Cup because the guys know now they are good enough to beat those sides.

The results we have had in the past against South Africa and Australia, although maybe not New Zealand, show we have done 99.9 per cent of things right in that game to win.

The players do believe and that is the biggest thing. If you heard negative things on the training grounds about playing these sides, that is when you would become concerned.

But there are always positive build-ups to these games and I’m sure that will continue. The second Test against South Africa showed that.

There is not a lot you can change in a week and the only difference is your mentality going into the game.

You won’t get stronger fitter of more skilful in seven days. The players changed the mentality going into the second Test following the first game disappointment.

Q: Away from rugby, are you getting married this summer and when will we see you in Hello or OK magazine?

A: I am getting married but I can’t say when because I am under strict instructions. My fiancee would kill me I am not even married yet so I am under the thumb.

There was options of doing all that (photoshoots) but we turned it all down because we want to keep it quiet.